Magnetic Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites for Selective miRNA Separation and Recovery

Supapitch Uten; Poramin Boonbanjong; Yosaphon Prueksathaporn; Kiatnida Treerattrakoon; Nuankanya Sathirapongsasuti; Narong Chanlek; Supree Pinitsoontorn; Patraporn Luksirikul; Deanpen Japrung

doi:10.1021/acsomega.3c05919

Magnetic Graphene Oxide Nanocomposites for Selective miRNA Separation and Recovery

ACS Omega. 2024 Jan 2;9(2):2263-2271. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.3c05919. eCollection 2024 Jan 16.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.
² Program in Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Ramathibodi Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
³ National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Thailand Science Park, Pathumthani 12120, Thailand.
⁴ Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Technology and Innovation Centre, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow G1 1RD, United Kingdom.
⁵ Synchrotron Light Research Institute (Public Organization), 111 University Avenue, Muang, Nakhon Ratchasrima 30000, Thailand.
⁶ Institute of Nanomaterials Research and Innovation for Energy (IN-RIE), Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand.
⁷ Research Network NANOTEC-KU on Nanocatalysts and Nanomaterials for Sustainable Energy and Environment, Kasetsart University, Bangkok 10900, Thailand.

Abstract

In this study, we developed magnetic graphene oxide composites by chemically attaching Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles to graphene oxide nanosheets. Characterization techniques, including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM), confirmed the successful synthesis of Fe₃O₄@GO composites with desirable properties. The resulting composites exhibited superparamagnetic behavior, solubility, and compatibility for efficient miRNA separation. Using miR-29a as a model, we demonstrated the effective binding of miR-29a to the magnetic graphene oxide (GO) composites at an optimal concentration of 1.5 mg/mL, followed by a simple separation using magnetic forces. Additionally, the addition of 5.0 M urea enhanced the miRNA recovery. These findings highlight the potential use of our magnetic graphene oxide composites for the efficient separation and recovery of miR-29a, suggesting their broad applicability in various miRNA-based studies. Further exploration can focus on investigating endogenous miRNAs with aberrant expression patterns, contributing to the advancements in precision medicine.